Member's statement: Camlough Brass and Reed Band: 90th Anniversary
Member's statement by Mr Justin McNulty on .
- MLA
- Mr Justin McNulty
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 16 June 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Camlough Brass and Reed Band: 90th Anniversary
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5623562
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Today, I recognise and celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Camlough Brass and Reed Band. Ninety years is a remarkable achievement for any organisation. It is a testament to the dedication, commitment and passion of the generations of members, volunteers, families and supporters who have kept the proud tradition alive since 1936. Over the past nine decades, the Camlough Brass and Reed Band, which was originally named the Camlough Foresters' Band, has been far more than a musical group. It has been an integral part of community life across County Armagh and beyond, bringing people together, developing young talent and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities. Over the years, the band has been conducted by the great Billy Carroll, Eamon McNulty, Paxy Haughey, Seamus Mulligan, Adrian Benson, Philip Hughes and Tom McCabe. As is the case with many other community bands, thousands of voluntary hours go unseen each year into making the music that we have grown up to enjoy and appreciate. For that, we are incredibly grateful. What makes Camlough brass band even more special is its cross-community ethos. In a place where we continue to build understanding and respect across traditions, the band stands as a wonderful testament to how music is one of the internationally understood languages that unites people, creates friendships and strengthens communities.
As we celebrate that milestone, we recognise not only the band's proud history but its exciting future. Whether I am singing along with the famous Kathleen and Andrew Moore and our former SDLP councillor John Feehan or tapping my feet to lifelong band members Billy McKevitt and Brian Keenan, the continued enthusiasm and talent of the musical team gives me every confidence that Camlough Brass and Reed Band will flourish many more years to come: for the next 90 years and beyond. Camlough Brass and Reed Band's members always play with joy in their heart, and the band brings joy to the heart of everybody who hears it play and sing. I offer a hearty comhghairdeas
and thank-you to all current and past members for that wonderful achievement, and I wish the band all the very best for the future.
360 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.99).
- Subject area: Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.04 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.03 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.99 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.01 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations | 0.76 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.20 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.01 |
| Religion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice) | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:47 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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